Classical stops English

LYNN – The Classical and English boys basketball coaches have both agreed that the first of the two rivalry games between the two schools should not be so close to the Walter J. Boverini tournament in case they play each other.That didn?t happen this year, but the game was rescheduled for this week anyway, which only heightened the anticipation. The Classical gym was packed, and loud, and the Rams and Bulldogs gave everybody what they?d come for … a whale of a game.?It?s what always happens when Classical and English play,” said Bulldogs coach Mike Carr after his team lost a nailbiter to the Rams, 66-64. “Everybody plays their hearts out. It was a great game … but a disappointing loss for us.”Watching this one was like watching two boxers standing in the middle of the ring punching each other?s lights out. The fierceness of the blows might have left one of them staggering, but they always regrouped and came back stronger.In the end, though, it was Classical winning the right to lift its arms in victory as the frenzied Ram fans streamed onto the court afterward.The best place to start is at the end. Classical had a nine-point lead (62-53) with a little more than four minutes to go before English ran off eight straight on two buckets each by Danny Lukanda and Johnny Hilaire. But Kyle Doucette hit one with 47 seconds left to give the Rams a 64-61 lead, and when English missed on two attempts at the other end, it looked as if Classical would escape. But after another miss, the rebound came out to Erick Rosario, who passed it to Freddie Hogan. With 13.9 seconds showing on the clock, Hogan, standing well behind the key, lifted a three-pointer that hit nothing but net to tie the game.Classical got the ball back, with Philip Rogers making a nice pass to Jordan Brown to spring him loose. At the other end, Rogers got the ball back, went up for the shot and was fouled. He calmly hit both free throws with 3.7 seconds to go.But the Rams couldn?t celebrate until Rosario?s desperation heave was too strong, and the rebound went to Classical. Then, it was bedlam.The game started as if Classical was going to run English out of the building. The Rams built a 13-1 lead before English got it all back and then some. Rosario had 15 of his 17 points in the first half and Hogan eight of his 17 as English not only caught up but surpassed the Rams, leading 25-21 in the second quarter.But Classical recovered and sent English reeling from that point on, rebuilding its lead to 12 (39-27) by halftime.?We had to slow those two guys down,” said Classical coach Tom Grassa, “we did a triangle and two and kept them relatively quiet after that.”In a triangle and two, the defending team formed a triangle to play a basic zone while the two other players went man-on-man with Rosario and Hogan.?He did a nice job with that,” said Carr.Grassa credited Jordan Brown, Eddie Solis (?he?s become our best defensive player”), Eli McConney and Ronnie Williams as being instrumental in rotating to cover Rosario and Hogan.?But,” said Grassa, “Tommy Lukanda and Johnny Hilaire stepped up for English … and I have to give Freddie Hogan a lot of credit. He threaded the needle on a couple of great passes to Lukanda.”Hilaire scored 10 points and Lukanda 12 — and all of them came in the second half.With the defense working, it was still left to Classical to provide just enough offense to hang on. Hogan?s long range shooting defied the zone (he had nine second-half points), and between him and Lukanda and Hilaire, English quickly got back into the game in the third quarter, and it became a tong war from there.The X-factor was Rogers, who was hot in both halves and ended up with a game-high 28, making several twisting layups off Classical misses.Classical is back in action Saturday at the TD Garden against Malden. English is back at it Friday at Gloucester.